“Shifting your thought consumption…”

As person who enjoys smoking cigars and is outraged, I thought I would bring to people’s attention this new tax on Cigars and Cigarettes. This from USA Today:

“Smokers are gasping at higher cigarette and cigar prices as the largest federal tobacco tax increase in history takes effect.

“Oh my gosh,” Bernardo Torres said Tuesday when a clerk at a CVS Pharmacy in Falls Church, Va., told him the new price, which went up in anticipation of the tax increase. Torres wanted to buy his aunt two cartons of cigarette-size cigars, but he walked away empty-handed after hearing the new price: $134. The tax on little cigars went from 4 cents to $1.01 a pack.”

First, they could only do this for a “just” cause which is to pay for children’s health care, which makes you believe that it is a ploy to get more revenue for a deficit ridden federal government. At the same time they talk out of the other side of their mouths hoping that this is going to reduce consumption. They cannot have it both ways. If the tax does the second thing then how will they fund the children’s healthcare?

Second, we have to remember that most Cigarette smokers are relatively poor than others. That means that this is just a tax upon the poor. Someone could argue that these are the exact people the policy is trying to help. This is also, in its purist form, tyranny of the majority.

Thirdly, this policy assumes that children’s health care can not be taken care of in the private sector. Assuming that all of this goes to actualy kids and so on because there have been arguments that the definition of who the money goes to is loose. The system we have in place today is a heavily interventionist policy, thus creating the problems. If people could explain to me why the supposed “free market” system does not take of this problem, I am will to hear.

“The surging popularity of small cigars, available in fruit and candy flavors, is prompting state and local governments to try to regulate and tax them like cigarettes.

Baltimore announced this month that, beginning in October, it will require single cigars retailing for less than $2.50 each to be sold in packs of five.

Last year, three states — Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — passed bills to tax small cigars at the same rate as cigarettes.

Small cigars, the fastest-growing segment of the tobacco market, are the same size as cigarettes but typically have a brown wrapper that contains tobacco.”

This is just economic agents (people) acting when taxes are imposed on them. Since Cigarettes are being taxed to high heaven people will in turn substitute a similar good. Politicians love to tax cigarettes because they can pretend they are doing it to reduce consumption all the while hitting the most inelastic demand curve. That is the one that is least effected by a price increase. Looks like they were wrong.

As most people know I am an avid fan of Cigars. I think that some of the best thoughts in the world can come from relaxing with a Cigar or a Pipe. Einstein in fact smoked a pipe. There are many sites I recommend.

First to buy cigars I recommend Cigar.com and Cigar International. These both offer competitive rates with low cost of shipping. Cigar.com usually has a better selection of singles, while Cigar International is better with non-cigar things for humidification and so on.

A good facebook like social networking site is Social Cigar. This site though disturbs me with it’s them. It seems very “Che” revolutionary and communist. Either way, I encourage you to take up this get hobby and share one with your friends.

Of course, none of this can be complete without a little speech on smoking bans. They have been a plague to our nation and should be stopped. It is up to the freedom of the bar or food establishment owners to decide if they want to allow smoking. Next, it is up to the persons who want to get food or drink. If the owner finds out that the demand for a non-smoking environment is higher than a smoking environment then he will adjust accordingly.

As most people know we have an embargo with trade with Cuba. What Cuba is naturally known for is cigars. I have personally love the hobby of smoking and collecting cigars. Cuban’s have always been considered the best of the best. This is because the soil and climate are perfect for growing cigars.

So what is the problem with cigars from Cuba if this is true? Well, the government of Cuba is Communist and that means the government owns the factories and production of these cigars. They also know the high demand for Cuban cigars and the envy that is around them. Often leading them to cut corners and not creating the best quality cigars.

They hardly pay their people because the profits are being eaten by bureaucrats and government’s friends. Because the profits are eaten by people who do not work the cigars and freedom is squashed, most of the best blenders and rollers have left to make cigars in other places.

The future of Cuban cigars looks both dim and bright. If tomorrow we released the embargo, which I support, the government would more than likely try to keep up with the demand and it would kill the little quality that is left. If they allowed the free market to take over production, then there would be a chance for better quality. Since they are moving to be more free in general aspects, it is possible that the production could become more free also.

So next time someone tells you Cuban cigars are the best, you know the truth.

For those of you who don’t know, I am an huge fan of cigars and pipe. I have decided to my habit to work and create a cigar page. The theme that I use doesn’t automatically put a link on this site for it but I have included one on the side under blog roll. Feel free to check back for updates so far I only have one cigar rated. I am sorry that it looks a little fuzzy but as far as I know you have to HTML code on WordPress for tables. You should also comment on my ratings and post ones you smoked. If you would like you can suggest cigars for me to try and if you want to mail them to me email me at (my blog name)@gmail.com. I won’t hold my breath.